Children can have a lot of apprehensions when they learn that they will need to get braces. A common concern is how the braces will be put in and if it will hurt. As a parent, you can help allay their apprehension by explaining to them how the dentist will apply the braces to their teeth before you get to the dentist's office. If you are not familiar with the process of installing braces, here is an overview of the process used to place a full set of braces on your child's teeth.
The Procedure Won't Hurt
The primary fear you can put to rest is that the procedure will hurt. Your child will not be receiving any shots nor have any cutting of the gums done. The worse thing they will experience is sitting still for up to an hour while the braces are being placed in their mouth.
The Procedure
Metal bands are used to anchor the braces to the back molars. The bands slip over the molars in the back of the mouth. A dental cement is used to keep the bands on the molars.
The dentist will place a round plastic lip extractor in your child's mouth to expose their teeth. The extractor won't hurt, but it will be slightly uncomfortable. The dentist will then apply a cleansing gel to the front surface of the teeth with a small tip brush. The gel will sit on the teeth to work for a few minutes before the dentist uses a water pick to rinse the gel off of the teeth.
A tongue block will be placed in the mouth to prevent the tongue from touching the teeth. This is done so the teeth can completely dry before a bonding agent and glue is applied to the teeth to hold the brackets used to secure the braces to the teeth. Wet teeth will interfere with the ability of the glue to adhere to the teeth. The dentist might use a small air tube to blow air on the teeth to make them dry faster.
A bonding agent will be applied to the surface of the teeth once they have dried. The bonding agent helps the glue to adhere better to the teeth. The dentist will start to glue the brackets to the teeth once the bonding agent has dried. A curing light is used to dry and harden the glue on the brackets. This is will only take a minute or so for each tooth that receives a bracket.
A wire is placed through slots on the bands and then it is placed into slots on the brackets. The wire is tightened until it applies a little pressure to the teeth so they push together to close gaps in the teeth. Any excess wire is cut off so it doesn't damage the cheeks or gums. Small ties are used to hold the wire in the brackets. One wire will be placed on the upper teeth and another wire will be placed on the bottom teeth.
The closing of the gaps is a prolonged procedure where the dentist will tighten the wire every few weeks until the gaps close and the braces can be removed. This can take several years to accomplish.
For more information, contact an orthodontic clinic in your area, such as Crest Hill Family Dental.
